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Moroni L, Bottesi G, Bertolotti G, Cangiano A, Rizza C, Malerba A, Picozzi A, Burro R. Measuring pandemic-related anxiety and confidence in care in chronic patients using the Psychological Consequences of a Pandemic Event (PCPE) questionnaire. Stress Health 2024; 40:e3349. [PMID: 38015464 DOI: 10.1002/smi.3349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 10/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has determined a considerable increase in psychological distress worldwide. Compared with the general population, patients with chronic conditions experience higher stress levels due to the increased risk of worse health outcomes from COVID-19 infection. Worries and fear of contagion could cause them to avoid going to their health facilities for medical examinations, which results in higher risks of morbidity and mortality. The present study aimed to develop and validate the Psychological Consequences of a Pandemic Event (PCPE) self-report questionnaire, and to assess the psychological effects of exposure to a pandemic on mood and on treatment adherence appropriate for patients with chronic diseases. Data were analysed with Rasch analysis after an Exploratory Factor Analysis and a Confirmatory Factor Analysis. We identified a final set of 10 items, divided into two independent factors labelled "pandemic-related anxiety" and "confidence in care". Finally, we transformed the raw scores of both factors into two interval scales (two rulers) that met the requirements of the fundamental measurement. The PCPE questionnaire has demonstrated to be a short and easy-to-administer measure, with valid and reliable psychometric properties, capable of assessing pandemic-related anxiety and confidence in care in patients with chronic clinical conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gioia Bottesi
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Anna Malerba
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | | | - Roberto Burro
- Department of Human Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
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Ccami-Bernal F, Rojas-Miliano C, Soriano-Moreno DR, Fernández-Guzmán D, Quispe-Vicuña C, Hernández-Bustamante EA, Zamora-Huaringa EG, Nieto-Gutiérrez W. Factors associated with the consumption of medicinal plants for the prevention of COVID-19 in peruvian population: a cross-sectional study. Rev Peru Med Exp Salud Publica 2024; 41:37-45. [PMID: 38808842 PMCID: PMC11149759 DOI: 10.17843/rpmesp.2024.411.13265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES. Motivation for the study. No study conclusively recommends the use of medicinal plants to treat COVID-19 symptoms, and their indiscriminate use may present health risks. Main findings. Sixty percent of participants consumed medicinal plants to prevent COVID-19. This was particularly true for those living in the Peruvian highlands and individuals with family members diagnosed or deceased from COVID-19, who perceive a higher risk of infection and use medications or chlorine dioxide as preventive measures. Implications. Communication strategies emphasizing validated preventive practices and educating about the risks of consuming medicinal plants should be tailored to the predominant characteristics of the consumer. Determine the factors associated with the consumption of medicinal plants as a preventive measure against COVID-19 in the Peruvian population. MATERIALS AND METHODS. A population over 18 years of age, living in Peru and without a history of COVID-19 disease, was evaluated. The factors associated with the consumption of medicinal plants were evaluated using a Poisson regression model with robust variances. RESULTS. Of the 3231 participants included, 84.6% were young adults (18-29 years old), 62.7% were women, and 59.7% consumed a medicinal plant to prevent COVID-19 infection. The factors associated with the consumption of medicinal plants to prevent COVID-19 infection were residing in the Peruvian highlands, having had a family member diagnosed with COVID-19, having had a family member die from COVID-19, considering their family to be at increased risk of infection, having used medications or chlorine dioxide to prevent COVID-19, having medical information as the main source of information about COVID-19, thinking that medicinal plants are effective in preventing COVID-19 disease, or not being informed about their effectiveness. CONCLUSION. Sixty percent of the participants reported having consumed a medicinal plant to prevent COVID-19. Authorities must apply communication strategies about the implications of consuming medicinal plants, prioritizing population groups with higher consumption patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - David R Soriano-Moreno
- Unidad de Investigación Clínica y Epidemiológica, Escuela de Medicina, Universidad Peruana Unión, Lima, Perú
| | | | - Carlos Quispe-Vicuña
- Sociedad Científica San Fernando, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Perú
| | | | | | - Wendy Nieto-Gutiérrez
- Unidad de Investigación para la Generación y Síntesis de Evidencias en Salud, Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola, Lima, Perú
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Naga YS, El Keraie A, Abd ElHafeez SS, Zyada RS. Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on care of maintenance hemodialysis patients: a multicenter study. Clin Exp Nephrol 2024:10.1007/s10157-024-02495-6. [PMID: 38702493 DOI: 10.1007/s10157-024-02495-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic posed a challenge to hemodialysis (HD) patients. While most outpatient and elective medical services stopped during lockdown, HD patients continued to visit their dialysis centers. We aimed to assess how the initial phase of the pandemic affected patient care by comparing dialysis adequacy and other parameters of patient care before and during the first 10 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS In a retrospective multi-center observational study, all adult dialysis patients in five dialysis centers in Alexandria, Egypt were included. Dialysis adequacy, missed sessions, laboratory parameters and hospitalization were recorded. Data of the 10 months before and the 10 months after the pandemic were compared and predictors of adequacy were determined. RESULTS In the 388 HD patients included in the study, the number of missed sessions was higher during the pandemic with peaks during the first and second wave of the pandemic. The ratio of patients to nurses, phosphorus and parathormone levels were significantly higher during the pandemic, while urea reduction ratio, Kt/V, hemoglobin, calcium and albumin levels were significantly lower. In patients who reported difficult accessibility, missed HD sessions were higher during lockdown. Hospital admissions doubled during the pandemic, with COVID-19 infection being the main cause (45.5%). Number of patients per nurse and interdialytic weight gain were predictors of inadequate dialysis. CONCLUSION The COVID-19 pandemic and its related lockdown negatively affected multiple aspects of dialysis patient care. Continued access of optimum care in dialysis patients should be a priority in any future mass events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmine Salah Naga
- Nephrology Unit, Internal Medicine department, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Ahmed El Keraie
- Nephrology Unit, Internal Medicine department, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Samar Samy Abd ElHafeez
- Epidemiology Department, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Rowan Saad Zyada
- Kidney and Urology Centre, 347 Gamal Abd El Naser Street, Montaza, Alexandria, Egypt.
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Bullo M, Kierszenowicz T, Acosta MC, Rolon MJ, Cecchini D, Rodriguez C, Scapellato P, Bottaro E, Losso MH. Telemedicine in HIV health care during the COVID-19 pandemic: An implementation research study in Buenos Aires, Argentina. HIV Med 2024. [PMID: 38657752 DOI: 10.1111/hiv.13646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND From October 2020 to October 2022, we conducted an implementation study to offer telemedicine (TM) across four HIV units of general public hospitals in Buenos Aires. The intervention used TM to provide a continuum of care to patients with HIV. METHODS AND SETTING We used the RE-AIM framework to evaluate the strategy. The study started during a COVID-19 outbreak with strict lockdown policies and continued until return to normal practices. Implementation facilitation served as the core implementation strategy. RESULTS We reached 4118 patients (58% of eligible individuals), and the main perceived benefits were the ability to avoid exposure to infectious diseases and reduced travel time and cost. After a median of 515 days of follow-up, 95.7% of participants with HIV were receiving antiretroviral therapy, and 87.8% were virally suppressed, with a median CD4+ count of 648 cells/μL. In total, 36.6% reported clinical events, and 20.4% presented with COVID-19 infection. The proportion of physicians adopting TM was 69.37%. After enrolment, 2406 of 5640 (43%) follow-up visits were conducted via TM. By the end of the study, 26.29% of appointments offered in the four centres were through TM, whereas 73.71% were in-person appointments. CONCLUSION It was feasible to implement TM in the four centres in the public health sector in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It was acceptable for both patients and healthcare workers, and effectively reached a large proportion of the population served in these clinics. Both healthcare workers and patients consider it a model of care that will continue to be offered in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Bullo
- Hospital General de Agudos JM Ramos Mejia, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | | | | | - Diego Cecchini
- Hospital General de Agudos C Argerich, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Pablo Scapellato
- Hospital General de Agudos D Santojanni, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Edgardo Bottaro
- Hospital General de Agudos D Santojanni, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marcelo H Losso
- Hospital General de Agudos JM Ramos Mejia, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Islam MT, Bruce M, Alam K. Patterns and determinants of healthcare utilization and medication use before and during the COVID-19 crisis in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and India. BMC Health Serv Res 2024; 24:416. [PMID: 38570763 PMCID: PMC10988829 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-024-10789-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND COVID-19 rapidly spread through South Asian countries and overwhelmed the health systems that were unprepared for such an outbreak. Evidence from high-income countries showed that COVID-19 impacted healthcare utilization, including medication use, but empirical evidence is lacking in South Asia. This study aimed to investigate the effect of COVID-19 on healthcare utilization and medication use in South Asia. METHOD The current study used longitudinal data from the 'Premise Health Service Disruption Survey' 2020 and 2021. The countries of interest were limited to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and India. In these surveys, data related to healthcare utilization and medication use were collected for three-time points; 'Pre-COVID phase', 'Initial phase of COVID-19 outbreak', and 'One year of COVID-19 outbreak'. Generalized estimating equation (GEE) along with McNemar's test, Kruskal-Wallis test and χ2 test were applied in this study following the conceptualization of Andersen's healthcare utilization model. RESULT The use of healthcare and medication was unevenly impacted by the COVID-19 epidemic in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and India. Immediately after the COVID-19 outbreak, respondents in Bangladesh reported around four times higher incomplete healthcare utilization compared to pre-COVID phase. In contrast, respondents in Afghanistan reported lower incomplete utilization of healthcare in a similar context. In the post COVID-19 outbreak, non-adherence to medication use was significantly higher in Afghanistan (OR:1.7; 95%CI:1.6,1.9) and India (OR:1.3; 95%CI:1.1,1.7) compared to pre-COVID phase. Respondents of all three countries who sought assistance to manage non-communicable diseases (NCDs) had higher odds (Afghanistan: OR:1.5; 95%CI:1.3,1.8; Bangladesh: OR: 3.7; 95%CI:1.9,7.3; India: OR: 2.3; 95% CI: 1.4,3.6) of non-adherence to medication use after the COVID-19 outbreak compared to pre-COVID phase. CONCLUSION The present study documented important evidence of the influence of COVID-19 epidemic on healthcare utilization and medication use in three countries of South Asia. Lessons learned from this study can feed into policy responses to the crisis and preparedness for future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Tauhidul Islam
- Murdoch Business School, Murdoch University, 6150, Perth, WA, Australia.
| | - Mieghan Bruce
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Centre for Biosecurity and One Health, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, 6150, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Khurshid Alam
- Murdoch Business School, Murdoch University, 6150, Perth, WA, Australia
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Al Meslamani AZ, Jarab AS. The economic impact of pharmacist intervention during pandemics. Expert Rev Pharmacoecon Outcomes Res 2024; 24:323-326. [PMID: 37993404 DOI: 10.1080/14737167.2023.2287487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad Z Al Meslamani
- College of Pharmacy, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- AAU Health and Biomedical Research Center, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Anan S Jarab
- College of Pharmacy, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- AAU Health and Biomedical Research Center, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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Tekleyohannes BA, Yifru YM, Nasir BB. The impact of COVID-19 on treatment follow-up and medication adherence among patients with epilepsy at a referral hospital in Ethiopia. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0299065. [PMID: 38408069 PMCID: PMC10896525 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The world continues to be challenged by the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and preventive measures like maintaining social distancing and lockdowns challenge patients to attend regular follow-ups and get a refill for medication that causes adherence problems. Hence, this study attempts to assess the impact of COVID-19 on treatment follow-up and medication adherence among patients with epilepsy. METHOD A total of 276 patients with epilepsy were enrolled in the study. Data collection was carried out through medical record reviews and patient interviews. Patients who visited Zewditu Memorial Hospital from August to September 2021 and those who had follow-up at least for two years before the outbreak of the pandemic were included. The data was analyzed using SPSS v.24. RESULT About 69.6% of patients were adherent to their treatment and 83.3% of the patients had a seizure-free period of less than 1 year. Ninety (32.6%) of the participants missed their treatment follow-up during the pandemic, mainly due to fear of being infected with COVID-19. Sixty-eight (24.6%) patients have experienced increased seizure episodes during the pandemic as compared to the previous times. Moreover, 56 (20.3%) participants were not taking their antiseizure medications (ASMs) during the pandemic because of the unavailability of medications and they discontinued hospital visits for their medication refills. Among those who missed their treatment follow-up, 20% had seizure-related physical injuries. Only educational level has a significant association with visiting health facilities during the pandemic. Thus, participants who completed college and above (OR = 2.58, 95% CI (1.32-6.38)) were more likely to attend their follow-up during the pandemics as compared to participants who can't read and write. CONCLUSION The present study revealed that COVID-19 might have impacts on treatment follow-up and medication adherence due to fear of infection, travel restrictions and the indirect impact on the availability and affordability of medications. These might lead to poor treatment outcomes like increased seizure frequency and seizure-related physical injuries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bethlehem Abera Tekleyohannes
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University (AAU), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Yared Mamushet Yifru
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, AAU, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Beshir Bedru Nasir
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University (AAU), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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Davis DD, Hale G, Moreau C, Joseph T, Perez A, Rosario E. Evaluating Pharmacist-Driven Interventions in a Primary Care Setting to Improve Proportion of Days Covered and Medication Adherence. J Pharm Pract 2024; 37:27-34. [PMID: 35981874 DOI: 10.1177/08971900221111144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Background: Medication nonadherence is the leading cause of poor health outcomes and increased risk of hospitalizations. Previous studies have shown that pharmacist interventions can help improve medication adherence and CMS quality measures. Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of clinical pharmacists' interventions on medication adherence and PDC scores for ACEi/ARBs, statins, and noninsulin antidiabetic medications in the primary care setting. Methods: This observational study was conducted at four primary care clinics to evaluate PDC scores pre- and post-pharmacist interventions from April 2020 to December 2020. Eligible patients were Humana Part D beneficiaries with a baseline PDC score <85%. The primary outcome of this study was to evaluate the average change in final PDC scores, and 1-month change in PDC scores following a pharmacist intervention. Secondary outcomes were number and types of adherence barriers identified, interventions provided by the pharmacist, and barriers and interventions category (pharmacy, patient or physician-related). Results: A total of 89 barriers were identified and 208 interventions were completed. A statistically significant difference in the average change of final PDC score from baseline was seen among those on ACEi/ARBs (72.5 to 78.0, p = 0.004) and statins (73.3 to 76.6, p < 0.001). Similarly, a statistically significant change was observed from baseline to 1-month PDC among those on ACEi/ARBS (72.5 to 75.4, p = 0.001) and statins (73.3 to 74.9, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Pharmacists located in a primary care setting improved medication adherence and PDC score for patients on ACEIs/ARBs and statins.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Genevieve Hale
- Pharmacy Practice, Nova Southeastern University West Palm Beach Student Educational Center, Palm Beach Gardens, FL, USA
| | - Cynthia Moreau
- Ambulatory Pharmacy Services, Baptist Health South Florida, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Tina Joseph
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Nova Southeastern University College of Pharmacy, Davie, FL, USA
| | - Alexandra Perez
- Department of Sociobehavioral and Administrative Pharmacy, Nova Southeastern University College of Pharmacy, Davie, FL, USA
| | - Elaina Rosario
- Ambulatory Pharmacy Services, Baptist Health South Florida, Miami, FL, USA
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Hartmann-Boyce J, Highton P, Rees K, Onakpoya I, Suklan J, Curtis F, O'Mahoney L, Morris E, Kudlek L, Morgan J, Lynch R, Marpadga S, Seidu S, Khunti K. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated disruptions in health-care provision on clinical outcomes in people with diabetes: a systematic review. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol 2024; 12:132-148. [PMID: 38272607 DOI: 10.1016/s2213-8587(23)00351-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic triggered disruptions to health care and lifestyles that could conceivably impact diabetes management. We set out to identify the impact of disruptions caused by COVID-19 on clinical outcomes in people with diabetes. We performed a systematic review of the available literature in the MEDLINE and OVID databases from Jan 1, 2020, to June 7, 2023, and included 138 studies (n>1 000 000 people). All but five studies were judged to be at some risk of bias. All studies compared prepandemic with pandemic periods. All-cause mortality (six studies) and diabetes-related mortality (13 studies) showed consistent increases, and most studies indicated increases in sight loss (six studies). In adult and mixed samples, data generally suggested no difference in diabetic ketoacidosis frequency or severity, whereas in children and adolescents most studies showed increases with some due to new-onset diabetes (69 studies). Data suggested decreases in hospital admissions in adults but increases in diabetes-related admissions to paediatric intensive care units (35 studies). Data were equivocal on diabetic foot ulcer presentations (nine studies), emergency department admissions (nine studies), and overall amputation rates (20 studies). No studies investigated renal failure. Where reported, the impact was most pronounced for females, younger people, and racial and ethnic minority groups. Further studies are needed to investigate the longer-term impact of the pandemic and the on potential differential impacts, which risk further exacerbating existing inequalities within people with diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie Hartmann-Boyce
- Department of Health Promotion and Policy, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA; Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | | | | | - Igho Onakpoya
- Department for Continuing Education, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Jana Suklan
- National Institute for Health and Care Research Newcastle In Vitro Diagnostics Co-operative, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK
| | - Ffion Curtis
- Liverpool Reviews and Implementation Group, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | | | - Elizabeth Morris
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Laura Kudlek
- Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jessica Morgan
- Medical Sciences Division, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Rosie Lynch
- Medical Sciences Division, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Samuel Seidu
- Diabetes Research Centre, University of Leicester, UK
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Rahimi S, Ononogbu O, Mohan A, Moussa D, Abughosh S, Trivedi MV. Adherence to oral endocrine therapy in racial/ethnic minority patients with low socioeconomic status before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Int J Clin Pharm 2023; 45:1396-1404. [PMID: 37380914 PMCID: PMC10682303 DOI: 10.1007/s11096-023-01609-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adherence to oral endocrine therapy (OET) is crucial in ensuring its maximum benefit in the prevention and treatment of hormone receptor-positive (HR +) breast cancer (BC). Medication use behavior is suboptimal especially in racial/ethnic minorities with lower socioeconomic status (SES). AIM We aimed to assess the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on OET adherence and identify demographic and/or clinical characteristics associated with nonadherence in racial/ethnic minorities with lower SES. METHOD A retrospective study was conducted at the Harris Health System in Houston, Texas. Data were collected during the 6 months before and 6 months after the start of the pandemic. The adherence was assessed using the prescription refill data using the proportion of days covered. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to identify demographic/clinical characteristics associated with nonadherence. Eighteen years or older patients on appropriate doses of OET for prevention or treatment of BC were included. RESULTS In 258 patients, adherence was significantly lower during the pandemic (44%) compared to before the pandemic (57%). The demographic/clinical characteristics associated with OET nonadherence before the pandemic were Black/African American, obesity/extreme obesity, prevention setting, tamoxifen therapy, and 4 or more years on OET. During the pandemic, prevention setting and those not using home delivery were more likely to be nonadherent. CONCLUSION OET adherence was significantly reduced during the COVID-19 pandemic in racial/ethnic minority patients with low SES. Patient-centered interventions are necessary to improve OET adherence in these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sama Rahimi
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Translational Research, University of Houston, College of Pharmacy, Health 2, 4349 Martin Luther King Blvd, Houston, TX, 77204-5000, USA
| | - Onyebuchi Ononogbu
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Translational Research, University of Houston, College of Pharmacy, Health 2, 4349 Martin Luther King Blvd, Houston, TX, 77204-5000, USA
| | - Anjana Mohan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Daniel Moussa
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Translational Research, University of Houston, College of Pharmacy, Health 2, 4349 Martin Luther King Blvd, Houston, TX, 77204-5000, USA
| | - Susan Abughosh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Meghana V Trivedi
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Translational Research, University of Houston, College of Pharmacy, Health 2, 4349 Martin Luther King Blvd, Houston, TX, 77204-5000, USA.
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Lovett R, Filec S, Bonham M, Yoshino Benavente J, O'Conor R, Russell A, Zheng P, Wismer G, Yoon E, Weiner-Light S, Vogeley A, Morrissey Kwasny M, Lowe S, Curtis LM, Federman A, Bailey SC, Wolf M. Long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on self-management of chronic conditions among high-risk adults in the USA: protocol for the C3 observational cohort study. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e077911. [PMID: 37899164 PMCID: PMC10618985 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-077911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION COVID-19 is an unprecedented public health threat in modern times, especially for older adults or those with chronic illness. Beyond the threat of infection, the pandemic may also have longer-term impacts on mental and physical health. The COVID-19 & Chronic Conditions ('C3') study offers a unique opportunity to assess psychosocial and health/healthcare trajectories over 5 years among a diverse cohort of adults with comorbidities well-characterised from before the pandemic, at its onset, through multiple surges, vaccine rollouts and through the gradual easing of restrictions as society slowly returns to 'normal'. METHODS AND ANALYSIS The C3 study is an extension of an ongoing longitudinal cohort study of 'high-risk' adults (aged 23-88 at baseline) with one or more chronic medical conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Five active studies with uniform data collection prior to COVID-19 were leveraged to establish the C3 cohort; 673 adults in Chicago were interviewed during the first week of the outbreak. The C3 cohort has since expanded to include 1044 participants across eight survey waves (T1-T8). Four additional survey waves (T9-T12) will be conducted via telephone interviews spaced 1 year apart and supplemented by electronic health record and pharmacy fill data, for a total of 5 years of data post pandemic onset. Measurement will include COVID-19-related attitudes/behaviours, mental health, social behaviour, lifestyle/health behaviours, healthcare use, chronic disease self-management and health outcomes. Mental health trajectories and associations with health behaviours/outcomes will be examined in a series of latent group and mixed effects modelling, while also examining mediating and moderating factors. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION This study was approved by Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine Institutional Review Board (STU00215360). Results will be published in international peer-reviewed journals and summaries will be provided to the funders of the study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Lovett
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- General Internal Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Center for Applied Health Research on Aging, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Sarah Filec
- General Internal Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Center for Applied Health Research on Aging, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Morgan Bonham
- General Internal Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Center for Applied Health Research on Aging, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Julia Yoshino Benavente
- General Internal Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Center for Applied Health Research on Aging, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Rachel O'Conor
- General Internal Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Center for Applied Health Research on Aging, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Andrea Russell
- General Internal Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Center for Applied Health Research on Aging, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Pauline Zheng
- General Internal Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Center for Applied Health Research on Aging, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Guisselle Wismer
- General Internal Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Center for Applied Health Research on Aging, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Esther Yoon
- General Internal Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Center for Applied Health Research on Aging, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Sophia Weiner-Light
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- General Internal Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Center for Applied Health Research on Aging, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Abigail Vogeley
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- General Internal Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Center for Applied Health Research on Aging, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Mary Morrissey Kwasny
- Preventive Medicine (Biostatistics), Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Sarah Lowe
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Laura M Curtis
- General Internal Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Center for Applied Health Research on Aging, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Alex Federman
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Stacy C Bailey
- General Internal Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Center for Applied Health Research on Aging, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Michael Wolf
- General Internal Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Center for Applied Health Research on Aging, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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Shimels T, Kassu RA, Bogale G, Bekele M, Getnet M, Getachew A, Shewamene Z, Abraha M. Adherence to Antiretroviral Medications Among People Living With HIV in the Era of COVID-19 in Central Ethiopia and Perceived Impact of the Pandemic. COMMUNITY HEALTH EQUITY RESEARCH & POLICY 2023; 44:99-107. [PMID: 35944130 PMCID: PMC9364070 DOI: 10.1177/0272684x221094151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
AIM This study assessed the level of adherence to antiretroviral drugs and the associated factors among clients who have a follow-up at public health facilities in central Ethiopia. METHOD A multi-site cross-sectional study was conducted from August 1-30, 2020 at seven public health institutions. A systematic random sampling method was used to recruit 385 participants. Data was collected using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Analysis was done using descriptive statistics, and binary logistic regression model. The OR with its 95% C.I was employed to present analytic outputs. Statistical significance for the multivariable model was considered at p ≤ 0.05. RESULTS Of the 371 participants, the majority were females (233, 62.8%), attended health centers (215, 58.0%), and were married (173, 46.6%). Eighty-nine (89, 24.0%) of the participants have at least one comorbidity. About 72 (19.0%) and 50 (13.5%) of the respondents stated that the COVID-19 has posed challenges on their follow-ups and availability of medications respectively. Nearly a half of the people living with HIV and comorbid T2DM or hypertension (29, 48.0%) reported that they had encountered an increase in the price of medications compared to the pre-COVID-19 times. About half of the respondents in the study setting have perfect adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) (200, 54.0%). Basic education (aOR = 3.02: 95% CI: 1.57-5.80), marriage (aOR = 2.27: 95% CI: 1.24-4.15), attendance to a health center (aOR = 0.59: 95% CI: 0.36-0.98) and sleep disturbance (aOR = 0.47: 95% CI: 0.26-0.84) showed a statistically significant association with adherence to ART. CONCLUSION About half of the respondents in the study settings have perfect adherence to their ART medications. As multiple factors interplay in the success rate of adherence to ART, stakeholders should place and strengthen practices, such as active follow-up and tracing of cases, ensuring medication affordability (access and low pricing), and psycho-social support to patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tariku Shimels
- Saint Paul’s Hospital Millennium
Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Rodas A. Kassu
- Department of Neurology, Saint Paul’s Hospital Millennium
Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Gelila Bogale
- United Vision Medical
Services, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Mahteme Bekele
- Saint Paul’s Hospital Millennium
Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Melsew Getnet
- Saint Paul’s Hospital Millennium
Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Abrham Getachew
- Saint Paul’s Hospital Millennium
Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Zewdneh Shewamene
- Faculty of Public Health and
Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Mebratu Abraha
- Saint Paul’s Hospital Millennium
Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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Kalichman SC, Kalichman MO, Shkembi B, Eaton LA. COVID-19 health information trust and prejudicial attitudes predict healthcare disruptions in the first year of COVID-19 among people living with HIV. J Behav Med 2023; 46:812-820. [PMID: 36881251 PMCID: PMC9989585 DOI: 10.1007/s10865-023-00399-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Abstract
Cross-sectional studies have reported that people living with HIV experienced disruptions to social relationships and healthcare during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, individuals with less trust in public health sources of COVID-19 information as well as those who held greater COVID-19 prejudicial attitudes experienced greater healthcare disruptions in the early months of COVID-19. To examine changes in trust and prejudicial attitudes in relation to healthcare disruptions during the first year of COVID-19, we followed a closed cohort of 115 men and 26 women ages 18 to 36 living with HIV over the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings confirmed that a majority of individuals continued to experience disruptions to their social relationships and healthcare over the course of the first year of COVID-19. In addition, trust in COVID-19 information from the CDC and state health department diminished over the year as did COVID-19 prejudicial attitudes. Regression models showed that lower trust in the CDC and health department and greater prejudicial attitudes toward COVID-19 early in the pandemic predicted greater healthcare disruptions over the year. In addition, greater trust in the CDC and health department early in COVID-19 predicted better antiretroviral therapy adherence later in the year. Results support an urgent need to regain and sustain trust in public health authorities among vulnerable populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seth C Kalichman
- Institute for Collaborative Health Intervention and Policy, University of Connecticut, InCHIP 2006 Hillside Road, 06269, Storrs, CT, USA.
| | - Moira O Kalichman
- Institute for Collaborative Health Intervention and Policy, University of Connecticut, InCHIP 2006 Hillside Road, 06269, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Bruno Shkembi
- Institute for Collaborative Health Intervention and Policy, University of Connecticut, InCHIP 2006 Hillside Road, 06269, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Lisa A Eaton
- Institute for Collaborative Health Intervention and Policy, University of Connecticut, InCHIP 2006 Hillside Road, 06269, Storrs, CT, USA
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Joves PJM, Matulac MO, Pagcatipunan RS. Barriers to Antiretroviral Medication Adherence in People Living with HIV (PLHIV) at the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Philippines. Trop Med Infect Dis 2023; 8:461. [PMID: 37888589 PMCID: PMC10610625 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed8100461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the HIV crisis in the Philippines worsened and triggered a chain reaction that disrupted the provision and utilization of HIV services. This study aims to fill in the gap in knowledge by exploring the possible association between sociodemographic characteristics and the barriers to ART adherence for PLHIV in the Philippines at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed by using a survey questionnaire, which was distributed via online social media (Twitter). Data were analyzed using the Stata software. Results: There is a significant association between the following treatment barriers and sociodemographic characteristics: the location of treatment hubs and respondents who finished college/graduate studies; checkpoints and crossing borders; and (1) respondents from Northern Luzon Region, (2) unemployed respondents and financial assistance-1. respondents 18 to 25 years old; 2. unemployed respondents-(3) respondents who finished elementary/high school and psychosocial support-(1) respondents from the NCR; (2) respondents 26 to 30 years old, stocks of ARVs and other medicines, and employed respondents. Conclusions: The results suggest a necessity for innovative approaches to make HIV care services, particularly ART, more accessible to PLHIV during the COVID-19 pandemic. Future large-scale studies exploring the association between sociodemographic characteristics and barriers to medication adherence of PLHIV during the COVID-19 pandemic are recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip John M. Joves
- Department of Internal Medicine, Adventist Medical Center Manila, Pasay City 1302, Philippines; (M.O.M.)
| | - Melgar O. Matulac
- Department of Internal Medicine, Adventist Medical Center Manila, Pasay City 1302, Philippines; (M.O.M.)
- Department of Internal Medicine, Pasay City General Hospital, Pasay City 1302, Philippines
| | - Rodolfo S. Pagcatipunan
- Department of Internal Medicine, Adventist Medical Center Manila, Pasay City 1302, Philippines; (M.O.M.)
- St. Luke’s Medical Center Global City, Taguig 1634, Philippines
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15
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Gupta BB, Gaurav A, Panigrahi PK. Analysis of retail sector research evolution and trends during COVID-19. TECHNOLOGICAL FORECASTING AND SOCIAL CHANGE 2023; 194:122671. [PMID: 37305440 PMCID: PMC10239906 DOI: 10.1016/j.techfore.2023.122671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to analysis the evolution of the retail sector during the COVID-19 period and to identify future research issues. Scopus databases were searched for articles published in English between 2020 and 2022 to discover current trends and concerns in the retail industry. A total of 1071 empirical and nonempirical studies were compiled as a result of the evaluation process. During the study period, the number of articles published in scientific journals increased exponentially, indicating that the research topic is still in the developmental phase. It also highlights the most important research trends, allowing numerous new research lines to be proposed via visual mapping of Thematic Maps. This study makes an important contribution to the field of the retail sector, providing a comprehensive overview of the field's evolution and current status, as well as a comprehensive, synthesized, and organized summary of the various perspectives, definitions, and trends in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brij B Gupta
- International Center for AI and Cyber Security Research and Innovations & Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering, Asia University, Taiching, Taiwan
- Kyung Hee University, 26 Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, 02447, Korea
- Lebanese American University, Beirut, 1102, Lebanon
- Symbiosis Centre for Information Technology (SCIT), Symbiosis International University, Pune, India
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research at University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES), Dehradun, India
| | - Akshat Gaurav
- Ronin Institute, Montclair, NJ, USA
- University Center for Research & Development (UCRD), Chandigarh University, Chandigarh 140413, India
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16
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Marashi A, Warren D, Call G, Dras M. Trends in Opioid Medication Adherence During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Retrospective Cohort Study. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2023; 9:e42495. [PMID: 37656492 PMCID: PMC10504620 DOI: 10.2196/42495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The recent pandemic had the potential to worsen the opioid crisis through multiple effects on patients' lives, such as the disruption of care. In particular, good levels of adherence with respect to medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD), recognized as being important for positive outcomes, may be disrupted. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to investigate whether patients on MOUD experienced a drop in medication adherence during the recent COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS This retrospective cohort study used Medicaid claims data from 6 US states from 2018 until the start of 2021. We compared medication adherence for people on MOUD before and after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Our main measure was the proportion of days covered (PDC), a score that measures patients' adherence to their MOUD. We carried out a breakpoint analysis on PDC, followed by a patient-level beta regression analysis with PDC as the dependent variable while controlling for a set of covariates. RESULTS A total of 79,991 PDC scores were calculated for 37,604 patients (age: mean 37.6, SD 9.8 years; sex: n=17,825, 47.4% female) between 2018 and 2021. The coefficient for the effect of COVID-19 on PDC score was -0.076 and was statistically significant (odds ratio 0.925, 95% CI 0.90-0.94). CONCLUSIONS The COVID-19 pandemic was negatively associated with patients' adherence to their medication, which had declined since the beginning of the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Marashi
- School of Computing, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park, Australia
| | - David Warren
- School of Computing, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park, Australia
| | - Gary Call
- Gainwell Technologies, Tysons, VA, United States
| | - Mark Dras
- School of Computing, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park, Australia
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Upamali S, Rathnayake S. Perspectives of older people with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus towards medication adherence: A qualitative study. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0289834. [PMID: 37561681 PMCID: PMC10414664 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0289834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Better medication adherence among people with diabetes mellitus was found to be associated with improved glycaemic control. However, medication non-adherence is a significant concern in older people with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus. PURPOSE To explore the perspectives of older people with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus towards medication adherence. DESIGN A qualitative descriptive exploratory study. METHODOLOGY A purposive sample of older people with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus living in the community was recruited. Snowball sampling was applied in community recruitment. In-depth telephone interviews were conducted using a semi-structured interview guide. Interviews were transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was used in data analysis. The consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) guidelines were followed. RESULTS The emerged six themes were: (a) impact of knowledge, attitudes and practices on medication adherence, (b) treatment-related barriers to medication adherence, (c) impact of age-related changes on medication adherence, (d) person-related barriers to medication adherence, (e) impact of COVID-19 on medication adherence and, (f) role of support systems in medication adherence. Knowledge of the disease process and medications, attitudes towards medication adherence, the practice of different treatment approaches, self-medication and dosing, negative experiences related to medications, polypharmacy, changes in lifestyle and roles, the influence of work-life, motivation, negligence, family support, support received from health workers, facilities available and financial capability are the main factors influence medication adherence. Age-related memory impairment, visual disturbances and physical weaknesses affect medication adherence in older people. Additionally, COVID-19-related guidelines imposed by the government and healthcare system-related issues during the COVID-19 pandemic also affected medication adherence. CONCLUSION Adherence to medications among older people is hampered by a variety of factors, including their knowledge, attitudes and practices, person and treatment-related factors and age-related changes. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought additional challenges. Individualised patient care for older people with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus to improve medication adherence is timely. Strengthening support mechanisms for the above population is essential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sathma Upamali
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
| | - Sarath Rathnayake
- Department of Nursing, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
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Rezaei Z, Lotfi F, Bayati M, Kavosi Z. The effect of Covid-19 pandemic on healthcare utilization in public vs private centers in Iran: a multiple group interrupted time-series analysis. BMC Health Serv Res 2023; 23:822. [PMID: 37528374 PMCID: PMC10394764 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-023-09846-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The outbreak of Coronavirus in late 2019 and its continuation in the following years has affected all human societies, government organizations, and health systems. Access to health services is an important issue during crises. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on the consumption of health services in the public sector compared to the private sector in Iran. METHODS The research population consisted of all insured individuals covered by Iran Health Insurance Organization in Fars province, which amounts to approximately 2,700,000 people. The required information including the utilization of laboratory, radiology, medicine, and hospitalization services was extracted on a monthly basis from February 2019 to February 2021. The Multiple Group Interrupted Time Series Analysis (MGITSA) was used for data analysis along with STATA.15 software. RESULTS According to the findings of MGITSA, in the short-term, the utilization of private laboratory, radiology, medication, and hospital admissions had decreased by approximately 18,066, 8210, 135,445, and 1086 times, respectively (P < 0.05). In the long-run, the use of laboratory and radiology services had increased by about 2312 and 514 times (P < 0.05), respectively. The comparison between the public and private sectors showed that in the short-term, the use of radiology services decreased by about 12,525, while the use of medication increased by about 91,471 times (P < 0.05). In the long-run, the use of laboratory services decreased by about 1514 times (P = 0.076) and no change was observed in the other services utilization (in public relative to private centers). CONCLUSIONS Utilization of health services in the public versus private centers, except for medication and hospitalization, significantly decreased in the short-term. However the utilization of most services returned to the usual trend in the long-term. The reduction in access to health services could impose a significant burden of various diseases, at least in the short-term, and increase health costs in the coming years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zohreh Rezaei
- Student Research Committee, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Farhad Lotfi
- Health Human Resources Research Center, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Almas Building, Alley 29, Qasrodasht Ave, Shiraz, 71336-54361, Iran
| | - Mohsen Bayati
- Health Human Resources Research Center, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Almas Building, Alley 29, Qasrodasht Ave, Shiraz, 71336-54361, Iran.
| | - Zahra Kavosi
- Health Human Resources Research Center, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Almas Building, Alley 29, Qasrodasht Ave, Shiraz, 71336-54361, Iran
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Yusof J, d’Arqom A, Andriani AP, Nasution MZ, Fatimah N, Mustika A, Handayani S, Syed Abdul Kadir SZ. Dietary Supplement Consumption and Mental Health in Indonesian Adults During Second Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic. Patient Prefer Adherence 2023; 17:1799-1811. [PMID: 37520062 PMCID: PMC10378467 DOI: 10.2147/ppa.s415925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose This study aimed to measure supplement consumption behavior and mental health status among Indonesian adults during the second year of COVID-19. Participants and Methods Online questionnaire regarding supplement consumption, and Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale 21 (DASS-21) was distributed from March to June 2021 and obtained 1006 valid and completed questionnaires. Descriptive and inferential analyses were conducted to determine the frequency and predictor factors of the respondents' supplement consumption behavior and mental health status. Results Respondents were divided into two groups, vulnerable and non-vulnerable individuals. The finding showed that 34.5% respondents were vulnerable individuals, including the elderly and those with comorbid disease(s). The vulnerable and non-vulnerable groups exhibited a high prevalence of supplement consumption, with the vulnerable group demonstrating a greater tendency for regular use. The incidence of mental health problems in both groups did not significantly differ (23-38%), where anxiety was higher than depression and stress. Supplement consumption was associated with mental health status. Several positive predicting factors for supplement consumption behavior included older age, higher economic status, and higher education. While the younger age and unmarried respondents were more likely to develop mental health problems. Conclusion Taken together, given dietary supplement consumption increased during the pandemic and the potential associations between supplement consumption and mental health, controlling the correct information and regulation regarding supplements, especially their risks and benefits, was important. Additionally, support for mental health issues was necessary, since it might affect self-medication behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junaidah Yusof
- School of Human Resource Development & Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences & Humanities, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor Bahru, Malaysia
| | - Annette d’Arqom
- Division of Pharmacology and Therapy, Department of Anatomy, Histology, and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia
- Airlangga Research Group for Translational Medicine and Therapeutic, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia
| | | | | | - Nurmawati Fatimah
- Division of Pharmacology and Therapy, Department of Anatomy, Histology, and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia
- Airlangga Research Group for Translational Medicine and Therapeutic, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia
| | - Arifa Mustika
- Division of Pharmacology and Therapy, Department of Anatomy, Histology, and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia
- Airlangga Research Group for Translational Medicine and Therapeutic, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia
| | - Samsriyaningsih Handayani
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas AirlanggaSurabayaIndonesia
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Ng CB, Tan YL, Kamaludin RS, Chang CT, Chew CC, Foong WK, Lee SH, Hamdan N, Ong SY. Experience and attitudes of pharmacists towards challenges and adaptive measures to new norm in ward pharmacy practice during the COVID-19 pandemic. J Pharm Policy Pract 2023; 16:85. [PMID: 37430298 DOI: 10.1186/s40545-023-00579-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND COVID-19 pandemic has created challenges to the ward pharmacy practice. Challenges arose due to new norms in the ward pharmacy practice. Adaptive measures to overcome these challenges were important to sustain the quality of pharmaceutical care. This study aimed to identify the perceived challenges and attitudes towards adaptive measures in the ward pharmacy practice during the COVID-19 pandemic and determined their association with pharmacists' characteristics. METHOD This cross-sectional study was conducted in 14 Perak state hospitals and 12 primary health clinics through an online survey. All ward pharmacists and trainee pharmacists with at least 1 month of ward pharmacy experience and working in government-funded health facilities were included. The validated survey tool consisted of demographic characteristics, pharmacists' experience towards challenges (22 items), and their attitude towards adaptive measures (9 items). Each item was measured based on a 5-point Likert scale. One-way ANOVA and logistic regression were employed to determine the association of pharmacists' characteristics against their experience and attitude. RESULTS Out of 175 respondents, 144 (81.8%) were female, and 84 (47.7%) were Chinese. Most pharmacists served in the medical ward (124, 70.5%). Commonly reported perceived challenges were difficulties in counselling medication devices (3.63 ± 1.06), difficulties in clerking medication history from family members (3.63 ± 0.99), contacting family members (3.46 ± 0.90), patient's digital illiteracy in virtual counselling (3.43 ± 1.11) and completeness of the electronic records (3.36 ± 0.99). For attitude towards adaptive measures, improving internet connection (4.62 ± 0.58), ensuring availability of multilingual counselling videos (4.45 ± 0.64), and provision of internet-enabled mobile devices (4.39 ± 0.76) were the most agreeable by the pharmacists. Male (AOR: 2.63, CI 1.12-6.16, p = 0.026) and master's degree holders (AOR: 2.79, CI 0.95-8.25, p = 0.063) had greater odds of high perceived challenging experience scores. Master's degree holders (AOR: 8.56, CI 1.741-42.069, p = 0.008) were also more likely to have a positive attitude score towards adaptive measures. CONCLUSION Pharmacists faced multiple challenges in the ward pharmacy practice during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in medication history assessment and patient counselling. Pharmacists, especially those with higher levels of education and longer tenure, exhibited a higher level of agreement towards the adaptive measures. The positive attitudes of pharmacists towards various adaptive measures, such as improvement of internet infrastructure and digital health literacy among patients and family members, warrant immediate action plans from health authorities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chew Beng Ng
- Pharmacy Department, Hospital Taiping, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Taiping, Malaysia
| | - You Leng Tan
- Pharmacy Department, Hospital Taiping, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Taiping, Malaysia
| | - Ros Sakinah Kamaludin
- Pharmacy Department, Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun, Ipoh, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Ipoh, Malaysia
| | - Chee Tao Chang
- Clinical Research Centre, Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Ipoh, Malaysia.
- School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Subang Jaya, Malaysia.
| | - Chii-Chii Chew
- Clinical Research Centre, Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Ipoh, Malaysia
| | - Wai Keng Foong
- Pharmacy Department, Hospital Batu Gajah, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Batu Gajah, Malaysia
| | - Siew Huang Lee
- Pharmacy Department, Hospital Kuala Kangsar, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Kuala Kangsar, Malaysia
| | - Normi Hamdan
- Pharmacy Department, Hospital Seri Manjung, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Seri Manjung, Malaysia
| | - Su Yin Ong
- Perak Pharmaceutical Services Division, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Tanjung Rambutan, Malaysia
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Zheng Y, Liu J, Tang PK, Hu H, Ung COL. A systematic review of self-medication practice during the COVID-19 pandemic: implications for pharmacy practice in supporting public health measures. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1184882. [PMID: 37397709 PMCID: PMC10310324 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1184882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Since the COVID-19 pandemic, self-medication had become highly popular due to the risk of virus infection and overwhelming medical resources. Pharmacists are well-positioned to provide public health education and disease prevention. This study aims to provide an overview of the research about self-medication during COVID-19 and the role of pharmacists in ensuring the drug safety related to self-medication. Methods Databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, EBSCO host, and Web of Science) were searched for published studies on the practice of self-medication in COVID-19 pandemic without restriction in population and location. Primary search terms were "self-medication," "self-care," "self-management," "non-prescription drugs," "2019nCoV," and "COVID-19." Studies conducted during the pandemic but not exclusively for COVID-19 disease were eligible for inclusion. Results The database search yielded a total of 4,752 papers. After appropriate screening, 62 articles met the inclusion criteria. Most of the studies were cross-sectional in nature. The review highlighted a very high prevalence of self-medication during COVID-19, ranging from 7.14 to 88.3%. The purpose of self-medication was mainly to treat and prevent COVID-19; fever, body aches, cough, headache, and sore throat were the most frequently mentioned indications. Categories of drugs commonly used in self-medication included antibiotics, herbs, vitamins, and analgesics, most of which came from pharmacies. Information about self-medication usually obtained from relatives and friends, social networks and health care professionals. Common reasons for self-medication included saving money and time, prior experience and mild illness; reasons associated with COVID-19 were mainly fear of contracting the virus and poor access to doctors. Gender, age, education, marital status, and concern about COVID-19 were the most usual associated factors. The role of pharmacists in self-medication included sources of information, advice on medication use, and management of adverse reactions. Conclusion During the COVID-19 pandemic, self-medication practices were widespread and varied across countries and populations. Self-medication has emerged as an important component of health care, but also as a huge global challenge. The engagement of healthcare administrators and policy makers are essential to regulate self-medication practices. The expertise and favorable conditions of pharmacists make them positioned as key roles in public health interventions for self-medication. Systematic review registration https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=395423, identifier CRD42023395423.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, China
| | - Jiayu Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, China
| | - Pou Kuan Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, China
| | - Hao Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, China
- Department of Public Health and Medicinal Administration, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, China
| | - Carolina Oi Lam Ung
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, China
- Department of Public Health and Medicinal Administration, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, China
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22
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Santos YS, de Souza Ferreira D, de Oliveira Silva ABM, da Silva Nunes CF, de Souza Oliveira SA, da Silva DT. Global overview of pharmacist and community pharmacy actions to address COVID-19: A scoping review. EXPLORATORY RESEARCH IN CLINICAL AND SOCIAL PHARMACY 2023; 10:100261. [PMID: 37096140 PMCID: PMC10091784 DOI: 10.1016/j.rcsop.2023.100261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Pharmacists and community pharmacies play an important role in managing, identifying and preventing the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak. Objectives To characterize the global panorama of action by pharmacists and community pharmacies in facing the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods The scoping review was based on the search for scientific articles in the databases: PubMed; Scopus; ScienceDirect and Web of Science. The search was carried out on August 31, 2021. The selection process was divided into 3 phases: i) title analysis; ii) analysis of study abstracts; iii) analysis of the full texts of the studies selected in the previous step. Studies were independently selected by two investigators and discrepancies resolved by consensus during focus group discussions led by a third reviewer. Results The final search yielded 36 articles for the review. The main strategies for coping with COVID-19 were grouped into 4 categories defined by consensus between the authors: (1) services for providing care to the patient; (2) product management; (3) infection prevention and control practices in community pharmacy; (4) preparation, sources of information used and training offered/received. Through these, the aim was to involve technical managerial, technical assistance and pedagogical technical actions adopted, as well as structure and process indicators that allowed the continuity of the offer of services. Conclusion During the pandemic, pharmacists and community pharmacies have been providing essential health services to communities. The results of this review may help to identify the changes adopted to face the COVID-19 pandemic and may contribute to improving the quality of practices in these establishments during the pandemic and after it, in similar situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yane Silva Santos
- Member of the Geriatrics and Gerontology Study Group (GREGG) at the Federal University of Vale do São Francisco (UNIVASF), Petrolina (PE), Brazil
| | - Denise de Souza Ferreira
- Pharmacy students and Members of the Geriatrics and Gerontology Study Group (GREGG) at the Federal University of Vale do São Francisco (UNIVASF), Petrolina (PE), Brazil
| | - Any Beatriz Matos de Oliveira Silva
- Pharmacy students and Members of the Geriatrics and Gerontology Study Group (GREGG) at the Federal University of Vale do São Francisco (UNIVASF), Petrolina (PE), Brazil
| | - Clara Freire da Silva Nunes
- Pharmacy students and Members of the Geriatrics and Gerontology Study Group (GREGG) at the Federal University of Vale do São Francisco (UNIVASF), Petrolina (PE), Brazil
| | - Sueza Abadia de Souza Oliveira
- Master in Collective Health by Federal University of Goias. President of Brazilian Society of Pharmacists and Community Pharmacies, Brasília (DF), Brazil
| | - Daniel Tenório da Silva
- Coordinator of the Study Group on Geriatrics and Gerontology (GREGG) at the Federal University of Vale do São Francisco (UNIVASF), Petrolina (PE), Brazil
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Yalley AK, Ahiatrogah S, Yalley AB, Yankson IK, Nii-Trebi NI, Yalley AA. Did Ghana Do Enough? A Scientometric Analysis of COVID-19 Research Output from Ghana within the African Context. Diseases 2023; 11:diseases11020056. [PMID: 37092438 PMCID: PMC10123632 DOI: 10.3390/diseases11020056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has generated worldwide research efforts to provide knowledge about the disease. Yet little is known about how Ghana contributed to this critical knowledge production. This scientometric analysis was conducted to ascertain Ghana’s COVID-19 research output within the African context to gain understanding and identify potential future directions. The study retrieved relevant research, spanning 2019 to 2022, from the Scopus database in December 2022. The retrieved data were assessed using various established indices, including collaboration patterns, productive institutions, citation patterns, and major research sponsors, among others. Ghana came seventh in Africa with a total of 1112 publications. For international collaborations, the United States and the United Kingdom were the major partners, while South Africa was the main African collaborator with Ghana. Out of the top 21 most productive authors, 85.7% were males and 14.3% were females, demonstrating a great gender gap in research output in Ghana. Although Ghana has made some contributions to the global COVID-19 research output, there are few intra-continental research collaborations, which limits Africa’s overall research output. Our study demonstrates a critical need for the Ghanaian government to prioritize research and funding and address barriers to women’s research productivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akua K. Yalley
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Korle Bu, Accra P.O. Box 143, Ghana
| | - Selasie Ahiatrogah
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, College of Medicine, Pan African University of Life and Earth Sciences Institute, University of Ibadan, Ibadan P.O. Box 22133, Nigeria
| | - Akuba B. Yalley
- Department of Mining Engineering, University of Mines and Technology, Tarkwa P.O. Box 237, Ghana
| | - Isaac K. Yankson
- CSIR-Building and Road Research Institute, Kumasi P.O. Box UP40, KNUST, Ghana
| | - Nicholas I. Nii-Trebi
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Korle Bu, Accra P.O. Box 143, Ghana
| | - Abena Asefuaba Yalley
- Zukunftskolleg, Department of Politics and Public Administration, University of Konstanz, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
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COVID-19′s Psychological Impact on Chronic Disease Patients Seeking Medical Care. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:healthcare11060888. [PMID: 36981545 PMCID: PMC10048099 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11060888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: The outbreak has harmed patients with multiple comorbidities and chronic conditions. The pandemic’s psychological impact is thought to change their routine of seeking medical care. Research Question or Hypothesis: During COVID-19, patients with chronic conditions may experience anxiety, depression, and stress, and their pattern of seeking medical care may change. Materials and Methods: In May 2021, a cross-sectional, web-based study of patients with chronic diseases was conducted. Eligible patients (1036) were assessed for psychological disorders, primarily depression, stress, and anxiety, using the DASS-21 scale, and their pattern of receiving medical care during COVID-19. Results: During the pandemic, 52.5% of the patients with chronic diseases were depressed, 57.9% were anxious, and 35.6% were stressed. Patients with chronic diseases who had moderate to severe depression (34.9% versus 45.1%, p = 0.001), moderate to severe anxiety (43.6% versus 53.8%, p = 0.001), or moderate to severe stress (14.9% versus 34.8%, p = 0.001) were significantly more likely to have no follow-up for their chronic conditions. Conclusions: Patients with chronic conditions experienced significant anxiety, depression, and stress during COVID-19, which changed their pattern of seeking medical care, and the majority of them did not receive follow-up for their chronic conditions.
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Lin Y, Cai H, Liu HH, Su XJ, Zhou CY, Li J, Tang YL, Jackson T, Xiang YT. Prevalence of depression and its association with quality of life in patients after pacemaker implantation during the COVID-19 pandemic: A network analysis. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1084792. [PMID: 37009113 PMCID: PMC10060541 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1084792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BackgroundThis study was designed to investigate the prevalence and predictors of depression in patients after pacemaker implantation during the COVID-19 pandemic in addition to identifying specific depressive symptoms associated with quality of life (QOL) using network analysis (NA).MethodsThis cross-sectional, observational study was conducted in China between July 1, 2021, and May 17, 2022. Descriptive analysis was used to calculate depression prevalence. Univariate analyses were used to compare differences in demographic and clinical characteristics between depressed and non-depressed patients following pacemaker implantation. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to assess factors independently associated with depression. Network analysis “expected influence,” and flow function indexes were used to identify symptoms central to the depression network of the sample and depressive symptoms that were directly associated with QOL, respectively. Network stability was examined using a case-dropping bootstrap procedure.ResultsIn total, 206 patients implanted with a pacemaker met the study entry criteria and completed the assessment. The overall prevalence of depression (PHQ-9 total score ≥ 5) was 39.92% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 29.37−42.47%]. A binary logistic regression analysis revealed that patients with depression were more likely to report a poor health status (p = 0.031), severe anxiety symptoms (p < 0.001), and fatigue (p < 0.001). In the network model for depression, “Sad mood,” “Poor Energy,” and “Guilt” were the most influential symptoms. “Fatigue” had the strongest negative association with QOL, followed by “Sad mood” and “Appetite”.ConclusionDepression is common among patients having undergone pacemaker implantation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Anxiety, central symptoms of depression (i.e., “Sad mood”, “Poor Energy”, and “Guilt”) and depressive symptoms linked to QOL (i.e., “Sad mood”, “Appetite”, and “Fatigue”) identified in this study are promising targets for interventions and preventive measures for depression in patients who have undergone pacemaker implants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Lin
- Department of Cardiology, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Yun Lin,
| | - Hong Cai
- Unit of Psychiatry, Department of Public Health and Medicinal Administration, Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, Macao SAR, China
- Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, Macao SAR, China
| | - Hong-Hong Liu
- Department of Cardiology, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xue-Jian Su
- The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders and Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital and the Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Chen-Yu Zhou
- The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders and Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital and the Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Li
- The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders and Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital and the Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yi-Lang Tang
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Todd Jackson
- Department of Psychology, University of Macau, Macao, Macao SAR, China
| | - Yu-Tao Xiang
- Unit of Psychiatry, Department of Public Health and Medicinal Administration, Institute of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, Macao SAR, China
- Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, Macao SAR, China
- *Correspondence: Yu-Tao Xiang,
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26
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Jiesisibieke ZL, Lin J, Lin YC, Hsiao YY, Tung TH. Prevalence of skin diseases in Taiwan prisons: a population-based study. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:460. [PMID: 36899355 PMCID: PMC9999061 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-15323-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The prevalence of skin diseases among prisoners in Taiwan has rarely been investigated. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of skin diseases by sex in a sample of prisoners in Taiwan. METHODS We included 83,048 participants from the National Health Insurance Program. The outcomes were measured using the clinical version of the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision. For prevalence, we presented absolute values as well as percentages. We also conducted an X2 test to assess sex differences and age group differences in the percentages of skin and subcutaneous tissue diseases. RESULTS The prevalence of skin diseases was 42.25%, higher than that in the general population. The prevalence of skin diseases among male prisoners was higher than that among female prisoners (p < 0.001), and the prevalence of skin diseases among prisoners who were ≤ 40 was higher than that among prisoners who were > 40. Among all cases diagnosed with skin disease, the top three diseases were contact dermatitis and other types of eczema, cellulitis and abscess, pruritus, and related conditions. Male prisoners had a significantly higher prevalence of all types of skin diseases than female prisoners. CONCLUSIONS Skin diseases are common in prisoners in Taiwan. Therefore, early prevention and appropriate treatment are needed. Male-specific skin products are also needed, given the differences in the prevalence of skin diseases among male and female prisoners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhu Liduzi Jiesisibieke
- Evidence-Based Medicine Center, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Linhai, 317000, Zhejiang, China.,School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Jiamin Lin
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Taizhou, 318000, Zhejiang, PR China
| | - Yu-Chun Lin
- Department of Public Health, College of Health Science, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ying Hsiao
- Department of Public Health, College of Health Science, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Tao-Hsin Tung
- Evidence-Based Medicine Center, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Linhai, 317000, Zhejiang, China.
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27
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The Impact of COVID-19 Regulations on Adherence to Recombinant Human Growth Hormone Therapy: Evidence from Real-World Data. ENDOCRINES 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/endocrines4010017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Worldwide regulations during COVID-19 positively and negatively impacted self-management in paediatric patients with chronic medical conditions. We investigated the impact of regulations on adherence to recombinant human growth hormone (r-hGH) therapy in paediatric patients with growth disorders, using real-world adherence data extracted March 2019–February 2020 (before COVID-19) and March 2020–February 2021 (during COVID-19) from the easypod™ connect ecosystem. Data from three measures of regulations were analysed: stringency index (SI), school closure and stay-at-home. The mean SI, and the proportion of days with required school closure or stay-at-home during COVID-19 were categorised as high versus medium/low based on the 75th percentile. Adherence was categorised as optimal (≥85%) versus suboptimal (<85%). Adherence data were available for 8915 patients before and 7606 patients during COVID-19. A high SI (mean ≥68) and a high proportion of required school closure (≥88%) resulted in an increase in the proportion of optimal adherence during COVID-19 versus pre-COVID-19 (p < 0.001). Stay-at-home requirements showed no statistically significant effect (p = 0.13). Stringent COVID-19 regulations resulted in improved adherence to r-hGH therapy in patients with growth disorders, supported by connected digital health technologies. Insights into patient behavior during this time are useful to understand potential influences and strategies to improve long-term adherence to r-hGH.
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28
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Kalichman SC, Eaton LA, Kalichman MO, Sam SS, Caliendo AM. Prepandemic Predictors of Medication Adherence and HIV Viral Load During the First Year of COVID-19. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2023; 92:242-249. [PMID: 36730771 PMCID: PMC9911104 DOI: 10.1097/qai.0000000000003129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Studies have reported significant immediate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the social relationships and health care of people living with HIV. This study followed a closed cohort of young people living with HIV over the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were men and women (N = 140) age 36 years and younger who were living with HIV and had demonstrated suboptimal adherence to antiretroviral therapy, unsuppressed HIV viral load, or active substance use in a run-in study. The results confirmed that participants continued to experience significant disruptions to their social relationships and health care over the course of the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. There was evidence for sustained impacts on transportation, housing stability, and food security during the first year of COVID-19. Multivariable models showed that greater pre-COVID-19 social support predicted greater antiretroviral therapy adherence and greater HIV suppression (lower viral load) over the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Efforts to plan and prepare people living with HIV for future social crises, including future pandemics, should emphasize building and sustaining social support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seth C. Kalichman
- Institute for Collaborative Health Intervention and Policy, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
| | - Lisa A. Eaton
- Institute for Collaborative Health Intervention and Policy, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
| | - Moira O. Kalichman
- Institute for Collaborative Health Intervention and Policy, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
| | - Soya S. Sam
- Division of Infectious Diseases, The Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI; and
- Department of Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - Angela M. Caliendo
- Department of Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI
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Olmastroni E, Galimberti F, Tragni E, Catapano AL, Casula M. Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Adherence to Chronic Therapies: A Systematic Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:3825. [PMID: 36900831 PMCID: PMC10001666 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20053825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused a sudden and significant disruption in healthcare services, especially for patients suffering from chronic diseases. We aimed at evaluating the impact of the pandemic on adherence to chronic therapies through a systematic review of available studies. PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science were searched since inception to June 2022. Inclusion criteria were: (1) observational studies or surveys; (2) studies on patients with chronic diseases; (3) reporting the effects of COVID-19 pandemic on adherence to chronic pharmacological treatment, as a comparison of adherence during the pandemic period vs. pre-pandemic period (primary outcome) or as rate of treatment discontinuation/delay specifically due to factors linked to COVID-19 (secondary outcome). Findings from 12 (primary outcome) and 24 (secondary outcome) studies showed that many chronic treatments were interrupted or affected by a reduced adherence in the pandemic period, and that fear of infection, difficulty in reaching physicians or healthcare facilities, and unavailability of medication were often reported as reasons for discontinuation or modification of chronic therapies. For other therapies where the patient was not required to attend the clinic, continuity of treatment was sometimes ensured through the use of telemedicine, and the adherence was guaranteed with drug stockpiling. While the effects of the possible worsening of chronic disease management need to be monitored over time, positive strategies should be acknowledged, such as the implementation of e-health tools and the expanded role of community pharmacists, and may play an important role in preserving continuity of care for people with chronic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Olmastroni
- Epidemiology and Preventive Pharmacology Service (SEFAP), Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | | | - Elena Tragni
- Epidemiology and Preventive Pharmacology Service (SEFAP), Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Alberico L. Catapano
- Epidemiology and Preventive Pharmacology Service (SEFAP), Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
- IRCCS MultiMedica, 20099 Sesto San Giovanni (MI), Italy
| | - Manuela Casula
- Epidemiology and Preventive Pharmacology Service (SEFAP), Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
- IRCCS MultiMedica, 20099 Sesto San Giovanni (MI), Italy
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Basheti IA, Barqawi H, Nassar RI, Thiab S, Atatreh N, Abu-Gharbieh E. The Effects of Medications and the Roles of Pharmacists on the Recovery of Patients with COVID-19 Infection: An Epidemiological Study from the United Arab Emirates. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:healthcare11040467. [PMID: 36833001 PMCID: PMC9957395 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11040467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Patients infected with coronavirus have new experiences and hence new needs from the healthcare sector. Acknowledging patients' experiences can exhibit promising outcomes in coronavirus management. Pharmacists are considered a vital pillar in managing patients' experiences during their infection. A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the experiences of COVID-19-infected individuals and the roles of pharmacists in the United Arab Emirates. The survey was face- and content-validated after being developed. Three sections were included in the survey (demographics, experiences of infected individuals, and the roles of pharmacists). Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. The study participants (n = 509) had a mean age of 34.50 (SD = 11.93). The most reported symptoms among participants were fatigue (81.5%), fever (76.8%), headache (76.6%), dry cough (74.1%), muscle or joint pain (70.7%), and sore throat (68.6%). Vitamin C was the most used supplement (88.6%), followed by pain relievers (78.2%). Female gender was the only factor associated with symptom severity. About 79.0% agreed that the pharmacist played an important and effective role during their infection. The most reported symptom was fatigue, with females reporting more severe symptoms. The role of the pharmacist proved to be vital during this pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iman A. Basheti
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Applied Science Private University, Amman 11931, Jordan
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Pharmacy, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia
- Correspondence: or ; Tel.: +962-6560-9999 (ext. 1510) or +962-79770-8060
| | - Hiba Barqawi
- Research Institute of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates
| | - Razan I. Nassar
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Applied Science Private University, Amman 11931, Jordan
| | - Samar Thiab
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Applied Science Private University, Amman 11931, Jordan
| | - Noor Atatreh
- College of Pharmacy, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi 64141, United Arab Emirates
- AAU Health and Biomedical Research Center, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi 64141, United Arab Emirates
| | - Eman Abu-Gharbieh
- Research Institute of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates
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31
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Hatem G, Ghamloush S, Chami AA, Chaheen M, Khachman D, Awada S. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pharmacy practice and on the provision of pharmaceutical care: A cross-sectional study among community pharmacists. THE JOURNAL OF MEDICINE ACCESS 2023; 7:27550834231161145. [PMID: 37025695 PMCID: PMC10067468 DOI: 10.1177/27550834231161145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
Background: Community pharmacists played an essential role in the control and management of the COVID-19 pandemic; both pharmaceutical care and community pharmacists were affected, given that, patients’ needs and demands increased due to the fear of lockdowns and shortage of medication throughout the pandemic. Objectives: This study was based in Lebanon and aimed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on (1) pharmacists, including infection rates, pay, and working hours, and (2) pharmacy practice, including medicine and personal protective equipment (PPE) shortages. Design: A cross-sectional study involving 120 community pharmacists was carried out between August and November 2021. Methods: Data were collected using an online survey filled out by pharmacists working in Lebanon. Results: Most participants (71.7%) reported an increase in their income during the pandemic, and 60% reduced their working hours. A significant association was noted between being previously infected and marital status, level of education, work position, and salary of the participants. Most participants (95.8%) encountered a shortage of medications during the pandemic leading to high home storage of medication, searching for other sources of medicines, and decreased patient/pharmacist interactions. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic imposed new challenges on pharmacists and the provision of pharmaceutical care. It affected pharmacists’ daily routines, putting them at risk of infection with limited availability of medicines and PPE. This study suggests that establishing effective crisis management plans to increase community pharmacists’ resilience during similar outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georges Hatem
- Clinical and Epidemiological Research
Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon
- Faculty of Medicine, University of
Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Georges Hatem, Faculty of Medicine,
University of Porto, Alameda Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal.
| | - Sara Ghamloush
- Clinical and Epidemiological Research
Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Aya Al Chami
- Clinical and Epidemiological Research
Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Mohammad Chaheen
- Clinical and Epidemiological Research
Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Dalia Khachman
- Clinical and Epidemiological Research
Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Sanaa Awada
- Clinical and Epidemiological Research
Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon
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Loo JSE, Yow HY, Ten YY, Govindaraju K, Megat Mohd Zubairi MH, Oui HC, Abdul Rahim N. Exploring the rise of telehealth services in Malaysia: A retrospective study. Digit Health 2023; 9:20552076231216275. [PMID: 38025110 PMCID: PMC10664425 DOI: 10.1177/20552076231216275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Telehealth services have gained popularity in Malaysia, providing convenient consultations during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there is limited research on their usage, user demographics and prescribed medications. This study aims to fill that gap by investigating telehealth service utilisation in community pharmacies and identifying trends in common diagnoses and medications prescribed. Methods A retrospective observational study was conducted using a telehealth services database in Malaysian community pharmacies. Consultation records from January 2019 to December 2021 were extracted using a data collection form. The study identified the service usage over time, demographic profiles of users and the most common diagnoses and prescribed medications. Diagnoses were classified using the International Classification of Disease, 10th Revision (ICD-10), and medications were classified using the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) system. Results The study included 835,826 telehealth service records, with 88.8% being assisted consultations with e-prescriptions and 11.2% direct consultations. The user population consisted of primarily Malaysians (96.9%), with a mean age of 50 ± 21 years. Both telehealth services saw an increase in unique users over the 3-year study period. There was a moderate correlation between active COVID-19 cases and monthly user count. Assisted consultations were more widely used than direct consultations. Conclusion This study found an increased usage of telehealth services and its potential to remain as a healthcare system feature in community pharmacies. Further investigation into the impact on medication safety, quality and healthcare delivery is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason SE Loo
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Taylor's University, Subang Jaya, Malaysia
- Medical Advancement for Better Quality of Life Impact Lab, Taylor's University, Subang Jaya, Malaysia
| | - Hui Yin Yow
- Department of Pharmaceutical Life Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Yi Yang Ten
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy & Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Kayatri Govindaraju
- Department of Pharmaceutical Life Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | | | - Hui Che Oui
- DOC2US, Heydoc International Sdn Bhd, Malaysia
| | - Nusaibah Abdul Rahim
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy & Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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Rahimi S, Ononogbu O, Mohan A, Moussa D, Abughosh S, Trivedi M. Identifying the predictors of adherence to oral endocrine therapy in racial/ethnic minority patients with low socioeconomic status. RESEARCH SQUARE 2022:rs.3.rs-2379786. [PMID: 36597529 PMCID: PMC9810231 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2379786/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Background Adherence to oral endocrine therapy (OET) is crucial in ensuring its maximum benefit in prevention and treatment of hormone receptor-positive (HR+) breast cancer (BC) in patients. Medication use behavior is suboptimal especially in racial/ethnic minorities of lower socioeconomic status (SES). We aimed to assess the OET adherence and its predictors in racial/ethnic minority patients of lower SES. Aim We aimed to assess the OET adherence and determine the predictors of OET nonadherence in racial/ethnic minority patients of lower SES. Method A retrospective study was conducted at the Harris Health System in Houston, Texas. Since the study period included the COVID-19 pandemic, data was collected during the 6 months prior and 6 months after the start of the pandemic. The adherence was assessed using the prescription refill data using the proportion of days covered. Multivariable logistic regression model was used to identify predictors of nonadherence. Eighteen years or older patients on appropriate doses of OET for prevention or treatment of BC were included. Result In 258 patients, the adherence was significantly lower during the pandemic (44%) compared to before the pandemic (57%). The predictors of OET nonadherence before the pandemic were Black/African American, obesity/extreme obesity, prevention setting, tamoxifen therapy, and 4 or more years on OET. During the pandemic, prevention setting and those not using home delivery were more likely to be nonadherent. Conclusion Racial/ethnic minority patients of lower SES, especially African Americans and those using OET for prevention of BC, require individualized interventions to improve adherence.
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Quality of life among patients with the common chronic disease during COVID-19 pandemic in Northwest Ethiopia: A structural equation modelling. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0278557. [PMID: 36472997 PMCID: PMC9725128 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0278557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Improving Quality of Life (QoL) for patients with chronic diseases is a critical step in controlling disease progression and preventing complications. The COVID-19 pandemic has hampered chronic disease management, lowering patients' quality of life. Thus, we aimed to assess the quality of life and its determinants in patients with common chronic diseases, in Northwest Ethiopia during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1815 randomly selected chronic patients with common chronic diseases. A standardized WHOQOL BREF tool was used, and electronic data collection was employed with the kobo toolbox data collection server. Overall QoL and the domains of Health-Related Quality of life (HRQoL) were determined. Structural equation modelling was done to estimate independent variables' direct and indirect effects. Path coefficients with a 95% confidence interval were reported. RESULTS About one in third, (33.35%) and 11.43% of the study participants had co-morbid conditions and identified complications, respectively. The mean score of QoL was 56.3 ranging from 14.59 and 98.95. The environmental domain was the most affected domain of HRQoL with a mean score of 52.18. Age, psychological, and environmental domains of HRQoL had a direct positive effect on the overall QoL while the physical and social relationships domains had an indirect positive effect. On the other hand, the number of medications taken, the presence of comorbidity, and complications had a direct negative impact on overall QoL. Furthermore, both rural residency and the presence of complications had an indirect negative effect on overall QoL via the mediator variables of environmental and physical health, respectively. CONCLUSION The quality of life was compromised in chronic disease patients. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the environmental domain of HRQoL was the most affected. Several socio-demographic and clinical factors had an impact on QoL, either directly or indirectly. These findings highlighted the importance of paying special attention to rural residents, patients with complications, patients taking a higher number of medications, and patients with comorbidity.
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Burden of COVID-19 infection and lockdown measures on individuals with chronic diseases in Saudi Arabia: A national population-based study. J Infect Public Health 2022; 15:1531-1539. [PMID: 36434997 PMCID: PMC9674401 DOI: 10.1016/j.jiph.2022.11.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The recent COVID-19 crisis has placed a huge strain on the global health and economy. The toll of the damage on the human society exceeds the morbidity and mortality of the pandemic and the associated burden, considering the multidimensional impact on all aspects of life. OBJECTIVES The present study assessed the specific impact of COVID-19 on individuals with chronic diseases including the Years Lost for Disability (YLD) burden of COVID-19 infection, and multidimensional impact on the disease management, adaptive lifestyle, and socioeconomic dimensions. METHOD A national, population-based cross-sectional study was conducted among adult Saudi population. An internet-based questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic characteristics, medical history, impact of COVID-19 lockdown on the management of the chronic disease, adaptive lifestyle, and impact of COVID-19 on family members. Additionally, data regarding eventual COVID-19 infection, severity and management were collected. YLD was estimated and normalized per 100,000 persons. RESULT Having a chronic disease was not associated with a greater risk of COVID-19 (relative risk [RR]=0.83, p = 0.153); however, it was associated with higher risk of declined physical activity (RR=1.30, p < 0.0001), deteriorated eating habit (RR=1.20, p = 0.002), sleep quality (RR=1.25, p < 0.0001), and overall health perception (RR=1.61, p < 0.0001), loss of family members due to COVID-19 (RR=1.96, p = 0.0001), and impacted household income (RR=1.11, p = 0.010). In case of COVID-19 infection, having a chronic disease was associated with increased risk of hospitalization (RR=5.04, p = 0.005) and having a moderate-to-severe form of COVID-19 (RR=6.00, p = 0.013). The overall YLD was estimated to be 17.7 per 100,000 individuals, and there was no significant difference between individuals with chronic diseases and those without. CONCLUSION COVID-19 entailed a substantial burden on the Saudi society in 2020, and individuals with preexisting chronic diseases suffered more important multidimensional impact, which need further research to assess the real impact of the pandemic and draw the pertinent lessons from the experience for future possible epidemics.
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Alyahya MS, Okour NS, Khader Y, Al-Sheyab N. Retrospective study on the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on patients with type 2 diabetes in Northern Jordan. BMJ Open 2022; 12:e065148. [PMID: 36351713 PMCID: PMC9644081 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-065148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE During COVID-19 pandemic, complete lockdown of cities was one of the measures implemented by governments worldwide. Lockdown had a significant impact on people's lifestyles and access and utilisation of health services. This study aimed to assess the impact of the lockdown on glycaemic control among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). DESIGN AND SETTING This was a retrospective study, electronic medical records at a leading University Hospital in Northern Jordan were used to extract study data. PARTICIPANTS All outpatients with T2DM. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES Glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), blood glucose and lipid profile for patients with T2DM, 6 months before and 6 months after the full COVID-19 lockdown. RESULTS A total of 639 patients (289 (45.2%) males and 350 (54.8%) females) were included in this study. Their age ranged from 18 to 91 years, with a mean (SD) of 59.9 (13.8) years. The overall means of HbA1c (8.41 vs 8.20, <0.001), high-density lipoprotein (1.16 vs 1.12, <0.001), low-density lipoprotein (2.81 vs 2.49, <0.001) and total cholesterol (4.45 vs 4.25, p<0.001) levels were significantly higher in the period before lockdown compared with the period after the lockdown. However, triglyceride and fasting blood glucose levels were not affected significantly after the lockdown. CONCLUSIONS The glycaemic control and lipid profile had significantly improved after COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. The availability of medication and medical advice delivery systems (monthly medicine deliveries) during the lockdown in Jordan might have positive impact on patients with diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad S Alyahya
- Health Management and Policy, Faculty of Medcine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Nadeen Saeed Okour
- Health Management and Policy, Faculty of Medcine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Yousef Khader
- Department of Community Medicine, Public Health and Family Medicine, Faculty of Medcine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Nihaya Al-Sheyab
- Allied Medical Sciences Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
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Forster SE, Gancz NN, Gaither ML, Haas GL, Starver KD, Steinhauer SR. Barriers to Long-acting Injectable Antipsychotic Adherence During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Observations From One Site. J Psychiatr Pract 2022; 28:497-504. [PMID: 36355590 PMCID: PMC9645453 DOI: 10.1097/pra.0000000000000673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAI-As) are a crucial treatment option for individuals with serious mental illness. However, due to the necessity of in-person administration of LAI-As, pandemics pose unique challenges for continuity of care in the population prescribed these medications. This project investigated the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on LAI-A adherence at a Veterans Health Administration medical facility in the United States, as well as changes in LAI-A prescribing and administration practices during this period. METHODS Electronic health records were evaluated for 101 patients prescribed LAI-As. A subset of 13 patients also participated in an interview and rated subjective concerns about pandemic-related barriers to medication adherence. RESULTS Pandemic-related barriers to LAI-A adherence and/or changes to LAI-A medications were documented in 33% of the patients. Within-subjects comparison of an adherence metric computed from electronic health record data further suggested a somewhat higher incidence of missed or delayed LAI-A doses during the pandemic compared with before the pandemic. In contrast, only 2 of the 13 patients interviewed anticipated that pandemic-related concerns would interfere with medication adherence. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study suggest that LAI-A access and adherence can be disrupted by pandemics and other public health emergencies but this finding may not generalize to other sites. As patients may not foresee the potential for disruption, psychiatric service providers may need to assist in proactively problem-solving barriers to access. Improved preparedness and additional safeguards against pandemic-related disruptions to LAI-A access and adherence may help mitigate adverse outcomes in the future. Identifying patients at elevated risk for such disruptions may help support these efforts.
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Bertolli¹ MR, Rocha¹ PA, Pinto¹ VB, Ono² SK. Access to antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis B during COVID-19. Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992) 2022; 68:1509-1513. [DOI: 10.1590/1806-9282.20210300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
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Llamado a la implementación de la Ley 2120 de 2021 contra la comida chatarra en los tiempos del COVID-19 en Colombia. BIOMÉDICA 2022; 42:14-18. [DOI: 10.7705/biomedica.6303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Durante dos años y medio, tanto en Colombia como en el resto del mundo, hemos enfrentado la pandemia generada por el SARS-CoV-2, agudizando los múltiples problemasde salud pública que venían cursando a manera de sindemias. Tal es el caso de las enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles asociadas, entre otros factores, a los malos hábitos alimenticios, especialmente por el gran consumo de alimentos ultraprocesados y bebidas azucaradas. En julio del 2021, se aprobó la Ley 2120, por medio de la cual se adoptaron medidas para fomentar entornos alimentarios saludables.Entre estas medidas, también se promueve que los alimentos empacados, procesados y que afectan negativamente la salud humana, tengan un sello que identifique sus componentes y valor nutricional para informar a los consumidores sobre el producto que están comprando o consumiendo.Entre las enfermedades más prevalentes en Colombia que afectan la salud bucal, se encuentran las caries y las periodontitis, ambas con factores de riesgo comunes con las enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles. Dados sus costos y prevalencia, dichas enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles resultan primordiales desde un enfoque de gestión del riesgo en salud pública, siendo, quizá, su gravedad mayor durante la pandemia generada por el SARS CoV-2.Asimismo, se especula que la población confinada pudo llegar a consumir más comida chatarra durante la pandemia del COVID-19 en comparación con otros períodos, además,porque en aquellos con enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles, el confinamiento obligado se asocia con mayor sedentarismo y con un menor número de controles médicos regulares, asuntos que se han reportado previamente.La promulgación de la ley de comida chatarra no va a cambiar los hábitos de alimentación de los colombianos “de la noche a la mañana” y, por esto, se necesita con urgencia implementar procesos de educación y sensibilización frente a los efectos adversos de los alimentos procesados y ultraprocesados en la salud.
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Chaudhry B, Azhar S, Jamshed S, Ahmed J, Khan LUR, Saeed Z, Madléna M, Gajdács M, Rasheed A. Factors Associated with Self-Medication during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study in Pakistan. Trop Med Infect Dis 2022; 7:tropicalmed7110330. [PMID: 36355873 PMCID: PMC9694449 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed7110330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Self-medication (SM) is characterized by the procurement and use of medicines by bypassing primary healthcare services and without consulting a physician, usually to manage acute symptoms of self-diagnosed illnesses. Due to the limited availability of primary healthcare services and the anxiety associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, the compulsion to SM by the public has increased considerably. The study aimed to assess the characteristics, practices, and associated factors of SM by the public during the COVID-19 pandemic in Sargodha, Pakistan. χ2-tests and univariable analyses were conducted to explore the identification of characteristics and the potential contributing factors for SM during COVID-19, while multivariable logistic regression models were run to study the effect of variables that maintained a significant association. The study was performed during July−September 2021, with n = 460 questionnaires returned overall (response rate: 99.5%). The majority of respondents were males (58.7%, n = 270) who live in the periphery of the town (63.9%, n = 294), and most of the respondents belonged to the age group of 18−28 years (73.3%, n = 339). A large number, 46.1% (n = 212), of the participants were tested for COVID-19 during the pandemic, and among them, 34.3% (n = 158) practiced SM during the pandemic; the most common source of obtaining medicines was requesting them directly from a pharmacy (25.0%; n = 127). The chances of practicing SM for medical health professionals were 1.482 (p-value = 0.046) times greater than for non-medical health personnel. The likelihood of practicing SM in participants whose COVID-19 test was positive was 7.688 (p-value < 0.001) times more than who did not test for COVID-19. Allopathic medicines, acetaminophen (23.6%), azithromycin (14,9%), and cough syrups (13%), and over the counter (OTC) pharmaceuticals, vitamin oral supplements, such as Vitamin C (39.1%), folic acid (23.5%), and calcium (22.6%), were the most commonly consumed medicines and supplements, respectively; being a healthcare professional or having a COVID-test prior showed a significant association with the usage of Vitamin C (p < 0.05 in all cases). Respondents who mentioned unavailability of the physician and difficulty in travelling/reaching healthcare professionals were found 2.062-times (p-value = 0.004) and 1.862-times (p-value = 0.021) more likely to practice SM, respectively; SM due to fear of COVID was more common in individuals who had received COVID-tests prior (p = 0.004). Practices of SM were observed at alarming levels among our participants. Consciousness and understanding about the possible adverse effects of SM must be established and validated on a continuous level; in addition, on a commercial level, collaboration from pharmacists not to sell products (especially prescription-only medicines) without a certified prescription must be developed and implemented.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Saiza Azhar
- College of Pharmacy, University of Sargodha, Sargodha 40100, Pakistan
| | - Shazia Jamshed
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Kuala Terengganu 21300, Malaysia
- Correspondence: (S.J.); (A.R.)
| | - Jahanzaib Ahmed
- College of Pharmacy, University of Sargodha, Sargodha 40100, Pakistan
| | | | - Zahid Saeed
- College of Pharmacy, University of Sargodha, Sargodha 40100, Pakistan
| | - Melinda Madléna
- Department of Oral Biology and Experimental Dental Research, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Szeged, 6720 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Márió Gajdács
- Department of Oral Biology and Experimental Dental Research, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Szeged, 6720 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Abdur Rasheed
- School of Public Health Dow, University of Health Sciences, Karachi 74200, Pakistan
- Correspondence: (S.J.); (A.R.)
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Abdisa L, Alemu A, Heluf H, Sertsu A, Dessie Y, Negash B, Ayana GM, Letta S. Factors associated with poor medication adherence during COVID-19 pandemic among hypertensive patients visiting public hospitals in Eastern Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study. BMJ Open 2022; 12:e064284. [PMID: 36202580 PMCID: PMC9539650 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-064284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to assess factors associated with poor medication adherence during the COVID-19 pandemic among hypertensive patients visiting public hospitals in Eastern Ethiopia. SETTING Hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Harari regional state and Dire Dawa Administration from 1 January to 30 February 2022. Both settings are found in Eastern Ethiopia. PARTICIPANTS A total of 402 adult hypertensive patients who visited the chronic diseases clinic for follow-up were included in the study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The main outcome measure was poor medication adherence during the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS The level of poor antihypetensive medication adherence was 63% (95% CI 48.1 to 67.9). Patients who had no formal education (adjusted OR (AOR)=1.56, 95% CI 1.03 to 4.30), existing comorbid conditions (AOR=1.98, 95% CI 1.35 to 4.35), self-funded for medication cost (AOR=2.05, 95% CI 1.34 to 4.73), poor knowledge about hypertension (HTN) and its treatment (AOR=2.67, 95% CI 1.45 to 3.99), poor patient-physician relationship (AOR=1.22, 95% CI 1.02 to 4.34) and unavailability of medication (AOR=5.05, 95% CI 2.78 to 12.04) showed significant association with poor medication adherence during the pandemic of COVID-19. CONCLUSION The level of poor antihypertensive medication adherence was high in this study. No formal education, comorbidity, self-funded medication cost, poor knowledge about HTN and its treatment, poor patient-physician relationship, and unavailability of medication during the COVID-19 pandemic were factors significantly associated with poor adherence to antihypertensive medication. All stakeholders should take into account and create strategies to reduce the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on medication adherence of chronic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lemesa Abdisa
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Haramaya University College of Health and Medical Sciences, Harar, Ethiopia
| | - Addisu Alemu
- School of Public Health, Haramaya University College of Health Sciences, Harar, Ethiopia
| | - Helina Heluf
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Haramaya University College of Health and Medical Sciences, Harar, Ethiopia
| | - Addisu Sertsu
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Haramaya University College of Health and Medical Sciences, Harar, Ethiopia
| | - Yadeta Dessie
- School of Public Health, Haramaya University College of Health Sciences, Harar, Ethiopia
| | - Belay Negash
- School of Public Health, Haramaya University College of Health Sciences, Harar, Ethiopia
| | - Galana Mamo Ayana
- Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Haramaya University College of Health and Medical Sciences, Harar, Ethiopia
| | - Shiferaw Letta
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Haramaya University College of Health and Medical Sciences, Harar, Ethiopia
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Iqbal A. Outcomes of Induction Therapy in Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Retrospective Study From a Tertiary Cancer Center. Cureus 2022; 14:e29940. [DOI: 10.7759/cureus.29940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
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Hasan S, Zubaidi HA, Saidawi W. Assessing Pharmacy Student Performance and Perceptions on Counseling Skills Through a Simulated Telehealth Encounter. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL EDUCATION 2022; 86:8619. [PMID: 34507953 PMCID: PMC10159465 DOI: 10.5688/ajpe8619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Objective. To describe the implementation of a teleconferencing-based patient counseling role play assessment in a newly developed pharmacy communications course, assess student performance on the role play and compare it with other assessments, and measure student perceptions of and satisfaction with the experience.Methods. Eighteen cases were developed, each belonging to one of three interactions in community pharmacy: filling a new prescription, completing a refill, or handling a request for a nonprescription (ie, over-the-counter [OTC]) medication. A rubric was designed to evaluate each type of interaction. Student scores in various course assessments were tested and scores on the three cases were compared. Students also evaluated their experience and satisfaction of the assessment and effectiveness of the course.Results. Seventy-nine students completed the assessment, achieving a mean score of 17.4/20 (87%). Student scores in the counseling role play were similar among case types and positively correlated with other traditional assessments in the course. Despite internet connectivity issues and heightened student anxiety, 71% of students agreed that the assessment did not affect the quality of their counseling, and 74% agreed that the experience was comparable to traditional assessments. The telehealth activity led to enhanced perceived student knowledge and confidence in interviewing and counseling patients.Conclusion. Students attained high scores that were consistent with other assessments in the course. Students reported that the assessment did not affect the quality of their counseling and felt the setting and context were still authentic. The experience required dedicated preparation and organization but was successful in demonstrating overall student satisfaction and positive perceptions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanah Hasan
- Ajman University, Center of Medical and Bio-allied Health Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
| | - Hamzah Al Zubaidi
- University of Sharjah, College of Pharmacy, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Ward Saidawi
- University of Sharjah, College of Pharmacy, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
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Aktürk İF, Yıldız C, Karabulut D, Oflar E, Şahin A, Ertuğrul AS, Koyuncu A, Polat V, Karahan A, Koşar F, Alp İB, Keskin K, Çağlar FNT. Is the revascularisation strategy and outcome different in patients with acute coronary syndrome in COVID-19 pandemic era: a tertiary centre experience. Acta Cardiol 2022; 77:720-728. [PMID: 34427169 DOI: 10.1080/00015385.2021.1967614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In this study, we aimed to compare the management and clinical outcomes of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) before and during pandemic. METHODS A total of 239 patients with ACS were enrolled into the study. Patients who were admitted during pandemic were compared with pre-pandemic patients according to their demographic, biochemical, angiographic features, revascularisation strategies and clinical outcomes. RESULTS During the pandemic period, we observed an increase in total number of patient with ST elevation myocardial infarction patients compared to the pre-pandemic period. Initial high sensitive troponin and CK-MB levels were statistically higher in the pandemic group patients (1953 pg/ml versus 259 pg/ml for troponin I and 14 ng/ml versus 6 ng/ml for CK-MB p < 0.0001, p = 0.02, respectively). Type 4a myocardial infarction due to stent thrombosis was more frequent in pandemic group relative to the pre-pandemic group (10 versus 0, p = 0.003). Post-procedural TIMI flow grade was lower in the pandemic group and distal embolisation and TIMI thrombus score were significantly higher in the pandemic group compared to the pre-pandemic group (p = 0.001, p = 0.02, and p = 0.002, respectively). The number of patients who underwent bypass surgery was much lower compared to pre-pandemic period (27 versus 8, p < 0.0001). There was no statistically significant difference in hospital mortality and short-term all-cause mortality among groups (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION Although clinical, laboratory, and angiographic features were worse in ACS patients during pandemic, the mortality rate of ACS was similar in both pre-pandemic and pandemic era. It is important to keep coronary intensive care units and catheter labs open and fully-functioning during the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- İbrahim Faruk Aktürk
- Department of Cardiology, Bakırköy Dr Sadi Konuk Education and Research Hospital, Bakırköy, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Cennet Yıldız
- Department of Cardiology, Bakırköy Dr Sadi Konuk Education and Research Hospital, Bakırköy, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Dilay Karabulut
- Department of Cardiology, Bakırköy Dr Sadi Konuk Education and Research Hospital, Bakırköy, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Ersan Oflar
- Department of Cardiology, Bakırköy Dr Sadi Konuk Education and Research Hospital, Bakırköy, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Alparslan Şahin
- Department of Cardiology, Bakırköy Dr Sadi Konuk Education and Research Hospital, Bakırköy, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Abdulcelil Sait Ertuğrul
- Department of Cardiology, Bakırköy Dr Sadi Konuk Education and Research Hospital, Bakırköy, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Atilla Koyuncu
- Department of Cardiology, Bakırköy Dr Sadi Konuk Education and Research Hospital, Bakırköy, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Veli Polat
- Department of Cardiology, Bakırköy Dr Sadi Konuk Education and Research Hospital, Bakırköy, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Aysun Karahan
- Department of Cardiology, Bakırköy Dr Sadi Konuk Education and Research Hospital, Bakırköy, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Feridun Koşar
- Department of Cardiology, Bakırköy Dr Sadi Konuk Education and Research Hospital, Bakırköy, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - İlayda Bostancı Alp
- Department of Cardiology, Bakırköy Dr Sadi Konuk Education and Research Hospital, Bakırköy, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Kudret Keskin
- Department of Cardiology, Şişli Hamidiye Etfal Education and Research Hospital, Bakırköy, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Fatma Nihan Turhan Çağlar
- Department of Cardiology, Bakırköy Dr Sadi Konuk Education and Research Hospital, Bakırköy, Istanbul, Turkey
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Zhu Y, Liu Y, Jiang H. Geriatric Health Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Managing the Health Crisis. Clin Interv Aging 2022; 17:1365-1378. [PMID: 36158515 PMCID: PMC9491878 DOI: 10.2147/cia.s376519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 pandemic significantly threatens the health and well-being of older adults. Aging-related changes, including multimorbidity, weakened immunity and frailty, may make older people more susceptible to severe infection and place them at higher risk of morbidity and mortality from COVID-19. Various quarantine measures have been implemented to control the spread of COVID-19. Nevertheless, such social distancing has disrupted routine health care practices, such as accessibility of medical services and long-term continuous care services. The medical management of older adults with multimorbidity is significantly afflicted by COVID-19. Older persons with frailty or multiple chronic disease may poorly adapt to the altered health care system, having detrimental consequences on their physical and mental health. COVID-19 pandemic has posed great challenges to the health of older adults. We highlighted the difficulties and obstacles of older adults during this unprecedented time. Also, we provided potential strategies and recommendations for actions to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic threats. Certain strategies like community primary health care, medication delivery and home care support are adopted by many health facilities and caregivers, whereas other services such as internet hospital and virtual medical care are promoted to be accessible in many regions. However, guidelines and policies based on high-quality data are still needed for better health promotion of older groups with increasing resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingqian Zhu
- Department of Geriatrics, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200123, People's Republic of China.,Department of General Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200123, People's Republic of China
| | - Yue Liu
- Department of Geriatrics, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200123, People's Republic of China.,Department of General Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200123, People's Republic of China
| | - Hua Jiang
- Department of Geriatrics, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200123, People's Republic of China.,Department of General Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200123, People's Republic of China
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Al-Atawi AA, Khan F, Kim CG. Application and Challenges of IoT Healthcare System in COVID-19. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 22:s22197304. [PMID: 36236404 PMCID: PMC9571605 DOI: 10.3390/s22197304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The importance of the IoT is increasing in every field of life, and it especially has a significant role in improving the efficiency of the healthcare system. Its demand further increased during COVID-19 to facilitate the patient remotely from their home digitally. Every time the COVID-19 patient visited the doctor for minor complications, it increased the risk of spreading the virus and the cost for the patient. Another alarming situation arose when a patient was in a critical position and may not claim an emergency service from the nearby healthcare system, increasing the death rate. The IoT uses healthcare services to properly monitor COVID-19 patients by using the interconnected network to overcome these issues. Through the IoT, the patient is facilitated by the health care system without spreading the virus, decreasing the death ratio during COVID-19. This paper aims to discuss different applications, technologies, and challenges of the IoT healthcare system, related to COVID-19. Different databases were searched using keywords in PubMed, ResearchGate, Scopus, ACM, Springer, Elsevier, Google Scholar, etc. This paper is trying to discuss, identify, and highlight the useful applications of the IoT healthcare system to provide guidelines to the researchers, healthcare institutions, and scientists to overcomes the hazards of COVID-19 pandemics. Hence, IoT is beneficial by identifying the symptoms of COVID-19 patients and by providing better treatments that use the healthcare system efficiently. At the end of the paper, challenges and future work are discussed, along with useful suggestions through which scientists can benefit from the IoT healthcare system during COVID-19 and in a severe pandemic. The survey paper is not limited to the healthcare system and COVID-19, but it can be beneficial for future pandemics or in a worse situation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdullah A. Al-Atawi
- Department of Computer Science, Applied College, University of Tabuk, Tabuk 47512, Saudi Arabia
| | - Faheem Khan
- Department of Computer Engineering, Gachon University, Seongnam 1342, Korea
| | - Cheong Ghil Kim
- Department of Computer Science, Namseoul University, Cheonan 31020, Korea
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Casula M, Galimberti F, Iommi M, Olmastroni E, Rosa S, Altini M, Catapano AL, Tragni E, Poluzzi E. Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Therapeutic Continuity among Outpatients with Chronic Cardiovascular Therapies. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph191912101. [PMID: 36231403 PMCID: PMC9566639 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191912101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic poses major challenges to healthcare systems. We aimed to investigate the impact of the pandemic on prescription and adherence patterns of chronic cardiovascular therapies (lipid-lowering [LL], oral antidiabetic drugs [AD], and antihypertensives [AH]) using administrative pharmaceutical databases. For each treatment, two cohorts of prevalent cases in 2019 and 2020 were compared. We evaluated the percentage change in dispensed packages and treatment adherence as a proportion of days covered (PDC). For all therapies, an increase was observed during March-April 2020 (LL: +4.52%; AD: +2.72%; AH: +1.09%), with a sharp decrease in May-June 2020 (LL: -8.40%; AD: -12.09%; AH: -10.54%) compared to 2019. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on chronic cardiovascular treatments appears negligible on adherence: 533,414 patients showed high adherence to LL (PDC ≥ 80%) in January-February 2020, and 2.29% became poorly adherent (PDC < 20%) in the following four-month period (vs. 1.98% in 2019). A similar increase was also observed for AH (1.25% with poor adherence in 2020 vs. 0.93% in 2019). For AD, the increase was restrained (1.55% with poor adherence in 2020 vs. 1.37% in 2019). The rush to supply drugs at the beginning of lockdown preserved the continuity of chronic cardiovascular therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Casula
- Epidemiology and Preventive Pharmacology Service (SEFAP), Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy
- IRCCS MultiMedica, Via Milanese 300, Sesto S. Giovanni, 20099 Milan, Italy
| | | | - Marica Iommi
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences-Pharmacology Unit, University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 48, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Elena Olmastroni
- Epidemiology and Preventive Pharmacology Service (SEFAP), Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Simona Rosa
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences-Hygiene and Biostatistics Unit, University of Bologna, Via San Giacomo, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Mattia Altini
- Romagna Local Health Authority, Emilia-Romagna Region, Via A. De Gasperi 8, 48121 Ravenna, Italy
| | - Alberico L. Catapano
- Epidemiology and Preventive Pharmacology Service (SEFAP), Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy
- IRCCS MultiMedica, Via Milanese 300, Sesto S. Giovanni, 20099 Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Tragni
- Epidemiology and Preventive Pharmacology Service (SEFAP), Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Poluzzi
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences-Pharmacology Unit, University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 48, 40126 Bologna, Italy
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Shi Y, Wu LQ, Wei P, Liao ZH. Children with type 1 diabetes in COVID-19 pandemic: Difficulties and solutions. World J Clin Pediatr 2022; 11:408-418. [PMID: 36185098 PMCID: PMC9516491 DOI: 10.5409/wjcp.v11.i5.408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Children/adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D) require holistic approach and continuous care. However, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has made challenges for the T1D children and their caregivers, professionals, and the healthcare system. This minireview aims to consolidate and discuss the difficulties and solutions of children with type 1 diabetes in the COVID-19 pandemic. T1D has been the most common type of diabetes in children and adolescents and the last decades has seen a rapid increase in the prevalence of T1D in youths worldwide, which deserves a public concern particularly in the COVID-19 pandemic. As reported in previous studies, T1D is a risk factor related to severe cases, while the virus may induce new-onset diabetes and serious complications. Moreover, restriction strategies influence medical availability and lifestyle, impact glycemic control and compilation management, and thus pose stress on families and health providers of youths with T1D, especially on those with certain fragile conditions. Therefore, special treatment plans are required for children provided by caregivers and the local health system. Latest health tools such as improved medical devices and telemedicine service, as well as a combined support may benefit in this period. This minireview emphasises that continued medical access and support are required to prevent deteriorated condition of children and adolescents with diabetes throughout this pandemic. Therefore, strategies are supposed to be formulated to mitigate the difficulties and stress among this group, particularly in the most at-risk population. Proposed solutions in this minireview may help individuals and the health system to overcome these problems and help youths with T1D in better diabetes management during such emergency situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Shi
- Second Clinical Medical College, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100078, China
| | - Li-Qun Wu
- Second Clinical Medical College, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100078, China
| | - Peng Wei
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Ze-Huan Liao
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551, Singapore
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm 17177, Sweden
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Bibliometric Analysis of Current Status of Circular Economy during 2012–2021: Case of Foods. Processes (Basel) 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/pr10091810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Food is usually recognized as a limited resource in sustainability, recognized by the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2, which aims to achieve zero hunger. It is expected that the circular economy (CE) can improve processes related to food production. The objective of the present study was to apply a bibliometric approach using VOSviewer visualization software as a research tool to analyze the relevant literature from the Scopus database in the field of circular economy and its relation to improvements in food issues throughout 2012–2021. A total of 1316 articles were analyzed. Italy was the most productive country with 313 articles, with Wageningen University & Research the organization with the most publications with 39 articles. The top 10 institutions originated from Italy, The Netherlands, France, and Denmark. Sustainability was the most productive journal with 107 articles. Bioresource Technology had the highest average citation frequency (44.68). The study helps initiate investigations to adapt the results obtained and create new strategies for increasing food circular economy efforts.
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Kovačević M, Ćulafić M, Vezmar Kovačević S, Borjanić S, Keleč B, Miljković B, Amidžić R. Telepharmacy service experience during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE IN THE COMMUNITY 2022; 30:e1639-e1650. [PMID: 34582591 PMCID: PMC8653267 DOI: 10.1111/hsc.13590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2020] [Revised: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic exerted a profound impact on health systems worldwide. Moreover, significant concerns were raised in terms of middle- and long-term consequences of postponing care in non-COVID patients. The primary aim of the study was to describe the remote pharmaceutical care service (telepharmacy) during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Srpska (RS), Bosnia and Herzegovina. The secondary aim was to identify service users' needs and concerns and to describe community pharmacists' interventions. Ten community pharmacists were appointed by the Pharmaceutical Society of the RS to deliver telepharmacy services. After obtaining users' verbal permission, pharmacists documented issues discussed with them. The prospective data collection included the period from April 13 to May 21, 2020. Descriptive and statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics software (ver. 22). A total of 71 service users' charts were analyzed. Telepharmacy users were on average 61.31 ± 13.27 years of age, with almost equal gender distribution. Patients with chronic or acute/subacute conditions were predominant with a share of 84.5%. Chronic diseases were the main reason for searching pharmacists' consultation (74.6%), 7% had a complaint about worsening of a chronic condition, 9.9% reported only acute/subacute conditions as ambulatory conditions, whereas 15.5% asked information about coronavirus or COVID-19. The vast majority of patients' and users' needs were addressed by a pharmacist during counseling and only 15.5% of the patients required immediate referral to a doctor for refill/prescribing purposes. Remote pharmaceutical care service (telepharmacy) is deemed a convenient model in the RS during the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients and users presented with explicit and specific needs and concerns, both COVID- and non-COVID-related, which should not be neglected. Community pharmacists showed a high level of resilience and ability in addressing patients' needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milena Kovačević
- Department of Pharmacokinetics and Clinical PharmacyUniversity of Belgrade – Faculty of PharmacyBelgradeSerbia
| | - Milica Ćulafić
- Department of Pharmacokinetics and Clinical PharmacyUniversity of Belgrade – Faculty of PharmacyBelgradeSerbia
| | - Sandra Vezmar Kovačević
- Department of Pharmacokinetics and Clinical PharmacyUniversity of Belgrade – Faculty of PharmacyBelgradeSerbia
| | - Slavenka Borjanić
- Pharmacy Moja apotekaBanja LukaRepublic of SrpskaBosnia and Herzegovina
| | - Branka Keleč
- Pharmacy ABC PHARMBanja LukaRepublic of SrpskaBosnia and Herzegovina
| | - Branislava Miljković
- Department of Pharmacokinetics and Clinical PharmacyUniversity of Belgrade – Faculty of PharmacyBelgradeSerbia
| | - Rada Amidžić
- The Pharmaceutical Society of the Republic of SrpskaBanja LukaRepublic of SrpskaBosnia and Herzegovina
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